Fayette to get its first Habitat for Humanity home 7.8.09

Excavation is expected to get underway next month for Fayette’s first Habitat for Humanity house.

Construction should begin in September, said Habitat’s Fulton County executive director Kristene Clark, in order for the building’s exterior to be completed before the arrival of cold weather.

Property for the house in the 500 block of S. Gorham Street was purchased Wednesday from Beaverson Real Estate.

The Fulton County Habitat group recently started on its twelfth home, Clark said, and a three-year goal calls for at least one home in every community.

Interest shown by Fayette residents made that community a good choice for the next project.

“We’ve had volunteers from Fayette help on the last two Habitat homes and one of the churches expressed interest in helping,” Clark said. “We felt we had the support needed in Fayette.”

In addition, a family applied for home ownership and listed Fayette as its first choice for residency.

At an informational meeting, prospective Habitat families learn about the organization and review the criteria for home ownership. A site visit is made to a family’s current residence and the Habitat board considers its need for housing before making a decision about whether or not to accept the family.

Need, ability to pay and willingness to partner are the chief criteria for the board to consider, Clark said.

A family has been accepted for the Fayette home, but not assigned since it hasn’t yet completed the requirement of 100 hours of “sweat equity” helping with other Habitat projects.

Clark said the family is very motivated and she’s not worried about its ability to complete requirements. When a family is assigned, home education and home buying courses must be completed.

Habitat for Humanity is described as a nonprofit, charitable, faith-based housing organization whose purpose is to assist in increasing production of affordable housing. The organization helps build “simple, decent and affordable houses” and provides interest-free mortgages to families that would otherwise not be able to purchase their own home.

Through donations of labor and some materials, Habitat for Humanity organizes the construction.

Clark said Fulton County was once part of the Maumee Valley (Lucas County) Habitat group but in 2007 a Fulton branch was organized.

“We started off building one house a year and increased that to two houses a year,” she said. “We have the families and the need.”

GAMES DAY—Finn Molitierno (right) celebrates a goal during a game of Nok Hockey with his sister, Kyla. The two tried out a variety of games Saturday at Stair District Library’s annual International Games Day event. One of the activities featured a sort of scavenger hunt in which participants had to locate facts presented in the Smithsonian Hometown Teams exhibit. The traveling show left Morenci’s library Tuesday, wrapping up a series of programs that began Oct. 2. Additional photos are on page 7.

STRANGE STUFF—Morenci Elementary School students learn that blue isn’t really blue when seen through the right color of lens. Volunteer April Pike presents the lesson to students at one of the many stations brought to the school by the COSI science center. The theme of this year’s visit was the solar system.

MAPLE leaves show their fall colors in a puddle at Morenci’s Riverside Natural Area. “This was a great year for colors,” said local weather watcher George Isobar. Chilly mornings will give way to seasonable fall temperatures for the next two weeks.

MORENCI Marching Band member Brittany Dennis keeps the beat Friday during the half-time show of the Morenci/Pittsford football game. Color guard member Jordan Cordts is at the left. The band performed this season under the direction of Doyle Rodenbeck who served as Morenci’s band director in the 1970s. He’s serving as a substitute during a family leave.

MOVING EAST—Utility workers continue their slow progress east along U.S. 20 south of Morenci. New electrical poles are put in place before wiring is moved into place.

A PERFORMER named Biligbaatar, a member of the AnDa Union troupe from Inner Mongolia, dances at Stair District Library last week during a visit to the Midwest. The nine-member group blends a variety of traditions from Inner and Outer Mongolia. The music is described as drawing from “all the Mongol tribes that Genghis Khan unified.” The group considers itself music gatherers whose goal is to preserve traditional sounds of Mongolia. Biligbaatar grew up among traditional herders who live in yurts. Additional photos are on the back page of this week’s Observer.

HOLDEN HUTCHISON gives a hug to a black bear cub—the product of a taxidermist’s skills—at the Michigan DNR’s Great Youth Jamboree. The event on Sunday marked the fourth year of the Jamboree. Additional photos are on page 12.